News

Update: June 11, 2007

No new is good news?

The lack of development here on the Web site stands in stark contrast to what's actually going on behind the scenes, so I'll attempt to fill you in on some details.

Dave and Roger are hard at work on BoomChik and it has—ahem—evolved considerably since making its limited and thoroughly virtual appearance at NAMM and online. There are still some major design decisions to be made and it won't see the light of day until sometime next year, but we think it will be worth the wait. I've been privileged to see some of what they're working on and, for whatever it's worth, I'm excited by the possibilities.

The Mono Evolver Keyboard was honored with yet another great review. The May 2007 issue of Electronic Musician gave it 5 stars and elevated it to "hot pick" status. "The Evolver Keyboard's superb sound quality, terrific controller layout, and high-quality keyboard action make it a synthesist's dream. Add to that a reasonable price point and its ability to control other Evolver synths, and the Evolver Keyboard earns a perfect score." Read more on the EM Web site.

Do you want your Dave TV? No, I'm not talking about those old David Lee Roth music videos. Mel Bay and WBA Productions have released "Dave Smith: Synthesizer Pioneer," the latest installment of the "Instrumental Innovators" DVD series. The DVD features Dave at home talking about his work as a synth designer and covers his entire career in the music industry, from Sequential Circuits to Dave Smith Instruments. Roger Linn and Tom Oberheim join Dave for a candid and lighthearted look back at the industry and the impact their instruments have had.

This is a region-free, NTSC DVD and should play in most recent DVD players regardless of location. If you're not sure, check to see if your player is NTSC compatible. (Generally speaking, if you have a PAL player capable of playing DVD-Rs, it will probably play NTSC-format DVDs, as well.) It is now available for order on the Orders page.

Another change that some of you may already have noticed is that Dave now has some help: me. I'm Andrew McGowan and I've worked with Dave at Sequential, Yamaha, Seer Systems, and now DSI. I've already become acquainted with quite a few of you at NAMM and via email and look forward to assisting you in the future. Among my many duties is designing and building a new Web site, so be on the lookout. It's coming (reasonably) soon.

Until next time, happy evolving!

Update: February 2, 2007

Yes, it's been a long time since I've updated the site. The Evolver synths continue to grow in popularity and get great reviews. Also, we announced a new gem in the works at the NAMM show last month, a new drum machine tentatively called BoomChik. I am designing this with Roger Linn, the undisputed king of drum machines, who not only invented them back in the late 70s/80s (LM-1, Linndrum, Linn 9000), but also designed the MPCs that just about everyone uses now.

We're about a year away from production, so it's currently in the vaporware, uh, I mean, computer simulation stage. The image above is the current vision, though it will likely go through a number of changes over the year. We will update the website every few months with the latest status, so in the meanwhile please don't ask about features or specifics on the design - it's all subject to change anyway! As far as price, best guess is $1000 - $1500 range. We're shooting for the lower, but we all know how that can go.

Basically, it is meant to be a drum machine, not an MPC. It will have both real analog percussion and normal sample playback, plus a bunch of novel processing. The idea is to produce sounds with some real, unique personality, different from everything else out there. Those of you with Evolvers can likely imagine what sounds will be possible, but it should go beyond that also.

Stay tuned!

Update: July 21, 2006

The first couple Evolver Keyboard reviews are in, and we are 2 out of 2 with awards! The August Keyboard gives it a Key Buy award - check out the great review: on their website with some sounds samples here, or a pdf file. Also, MusicPlayers.com gave the keyboard a WIHO (Wish I Had One) award - their review is here.

Update: June 24, 2006

Check out the new ad (click for larger):

Update: May 24, 2006

The Evolver Keyboards are shipping all over the world now! I'm a little behind, but hope to get all the details of the new product on the site here soon. Meanwhile, we have just released a new bank of 128 sounds - download it from the downloads page. This bank is composed of classic analog sounds; it shows off the Evolver's super fat filters and deep low end! Less digital sounds and less effects, not many sequences, mostly just gutsy real analog classics. Don't forget to use the wheels, velocity, and aftertouch for some cool surprises (and to think some other synths don't have velocity and pressure - wow!). And, remember that the Pitch Wheel doesn't always change the pitch.

Of course, there are a few sounds that got carried away - it's hard not to with the many features of the Evolver voice architecture, but for those who want the analog power sounds, this is just for you. Note that this bank was originally made for the Evolver Keyboard, but I just played through the programs on the Poly, and they sound great there also! Many of the cool monophonic sounds on the Evolver turn into power pads on the Poly. Check it out!

AND - the Poly Evolver Keyboard was just nominated for a TEC award from Mix Magazine - the 2006 Technical Excellence & Creativity Award in the category of Outstanding Technical Achievement, Musical Instrument Technology. The hits just keep on coming....

Update: May 1, 2006

We just started shipping the new Evolver Keyboard last week! It's getting a great response so far. We're trying to catch up to our backlog on orders, but you should be able to track them down from our dealers. Next we need to update the website to include more photos of the product. In the meanwhile, you can download the operation manual and the factory programs form the download page.

Update: April 6, 2006

As usual, I'm a bit behind updating the site. First, we hope to be shipping the new Evolver Keyboard within a couple weeks! Meanwhile we have actually run out of regular Evolvers and Poly Evolver Racks - sales have gone up quite a bit in the last couple months. We should have them back in stock in the next week or two, though most stores will still have them in stock.

From the NAMM show, there some links to check: First, David Bryce doing a cool Evolver Keyboard demo on Gear Wire. I did a short demo on Sonic State. There's a separate audio report I did for Gear Wire.

A cool DVD to check out is the "Synth Legends" from Audio MIDI - with myself, Bob Moog (sigh...), Tom Oberheim, Roger Linn, and Marcus Ryle.

Oh yeah - we also got another great Poly Keyboard review in SOS - that makes it unanimous - all the top magazines love it!

Back to work - got some keyboards to ship!

Update: January 23, 2006

NAMM Update - we had a great time showing off the new Evolver Keyboard at the show. Everyone liked the classic monosynth look, feel, and most of all the sound of our new little beast! We had some great demos, and it was especially fun when Herbie Hancock came in during Bernie Worrell's demo, and got a personal hands-on guide:

Here are some more shots; Roger O'Donnell playing, Tim Carmon (after playing), BT hanging out, and another shot with Herbie and Bernie. Consider the range of styles covered by the musicians below: techo, 80s synthrock, jazz, funk, rock, pop, gospel, R&B, movie soundtracks, etc. This gives you get an idea of how versatile the Evolver sound really is!

Update: January 11, 2006

Wow - it's been a long time since I've updated this site - and a lot had been happening, starting with my induction into the TECnology Hall of Fame at the AES show back in September by Mix magazine (innovations that changed the Pro Audio world). The Poly Evolveer Keyboard is collecting awards also, starting with Synthesizer of the Year from Electronic Musician Magazine! We also picked up a Future Music 2006 Ace award. And let's not forget "most psychedelic electronic instrument, 2005" from psychedelickitchen.org (Germany).

And, the Poly Evolver Keyboard has a new sibling:

The new Evolver keyboard! This is a one-voice Evolver, with lots of knobs in a small package. Same powerful sound; and like all Evolvers it can be chained together for more voices. We hope to ship in April, and the street price in the USA is targeted at $1,199. More detail will be coming soon.

AND, next week we go to the NAMM show, and we'll have some cool demos of the synths. PEK owner Bernie Worrell (Parliament/Funkadelic, Talking Heads, etc) will be playing:

Also Roger O'Donnell (The Cure, Thompson Twins, Psychedelic Furs), Tim Carmon (Eric Clapton, Mary J. Blige, Babyface, Gladys Knight, etc.), and possibly BT (you may have seen the PEK in his cover article in Keyboard magazine).

Finally, there have been a number of updates to the editor, including expanded Librarian functions; a real time, single slider, auditioning Morpher; a Continuous Controller Mapper; an "Auto Dump" feature, and more. Updates are free as usual, and more information can be found at http://www.soundtower.com/evolver/

A few more quotes from reviews:

The PEK is a dream keyboard for both the player and sound designer. - Remix

With far too many disposable products out there, a future classic like the PEK has been missing for a long while. - Remix

Poly Evolver Keyboard sounds fantastic and is a blast to play... and it's worthy of my highest recommendation. - Electronic Musician

Update: August 9, 2005

Updates for the Evolver (version 3.0) and the Poly Rack (version 2.0) are now available! The main changes are the addition of some MIDI CCs, and a number of changes to insure complete compatibility with the keyboard. For more details, click here for the Evolver update and here for the Rack update.

Update: July 28, 2005

The August issue of Keyboard magazine has a great review on the Poly Keyboard - check it out here! A few quotes:

"This is nothing less than a future classic and a major event in synth design."

Electronica star BT, who'd been using a PEK on the soundtrack to the film Stealth, dropped me a line to say, "This thing reminds me why soft synths still suck and analog still rules the world."

"A closer look reveals that this is no mass-produced axe: High-quality materials and precise fit and finish are coin of the realm."

"While the PEK can certainly do gentle, lilting textures, even the mellowest had undeniable density and authority next to my other synths."

Also, you may want to check out David Battino's new book The Art of Digital Music; There is a Dave Smith chapter where among other things he discusses how he designs personality into musical instruments. If you have an Amazon account, you can read some of it here.

Update: July 7, 2005

We're trying to catch up with our demand, and the keyboard can now be played at most of our dealers, including the Guitar Center stores! Check our dealer list to find one near you.

Update: May 10, 2005

Another overdue update - we are now officially shipping the Poly Evolver Keyboard! We started shipping domestically in late April, and have just starting exports. We have a growing backlog, so they will be a little hard to find for a while. Since we're a small company, and these are built in Northern California, they come out a llittle slower compared to the containers on boats from China that most other companies use these days.

They are sounding great, and looking very cool. I went with a wood called Jarrah for the end-caps; great grain patterns and colors. and every unit is different. There have been a few requests for black (wenge wood) end-caps, so we may offer these as a separate purchase in the next few weeks.

For details on the keyboard, go here.

Update: April 13, 2005

I'm way behind in updating this site; just got back from the Musikmesse tradeshow in Frankfurt, showing the keyboard once again. We are very close to the first shipments, hopefully in the next couple weeks! Once production gets rolling we'll be sure to update all the information on the new keyboard in the website.

Meanwhile there is a new update for the Mac and PC editors, available at http://www.soundtower.com/evolver/ - no charge for the upgrade, of course!

Update: January 26, 2005

The NAMM show went quite well, with a lot of great buzz on the new keyboard. We're still planning on April shipments, and the list price will be $2,699.00. For more photos, including closeups, click here. For a cool little video demo from the show, check Sonic State. A couple NAMM visitors:

Update: December 24, 2004

Okay; a little more detail. The keyboard has 4 voices, each a complete Evolver identical to the mono Evolver and Poly Evolver rack. If you want more voices, simply chain Poly Racks using the dedicated poly chain MIDI output. Specs are bascially the same as the Poly Evolver rack, i.e. 512 Programs, 384 Combos, etc. Of course, there's the 78 knobs, 58 switches, blinking LFO and sequence blue LEDS, and backlit wheels that make this instrument scream "tweak me!" This ain't no virtual synth...

Update: December 23, 2004

It's true:

Happy Holidays!

Update: November 1, 2004

.WAV to Evolver wavetable converter! Darren Richards has released a very cool utility program that allows you to drop in a 128 sample .WAV file, and send it to a user wavetable location in your Evolver via a sysex message. Check it out here!

Update: October 7, 2004

Check the October issue of Keyboard Magazine for a great review on the Poly Evolver! Some quotes:

"Now we're talking. We really liked Dave Smith's Evolver, but strapping four of them together in the Poly Evolver's rackmount box is more than just four times as cool.""

"It positively excels at pure electronic sounds with a foot in both vintage and cutting-edge camps."

"I think music-for-picture composers would love this box for the way its sound offers the user so many varied emotional colors."

"Its range of unique sounds would be great for creating distinctive logos."

"The lighter flavors are in fact plentiful...strikingly beautiful"

"It's a blast to play Combos where you have a wave sequence under one hand and a polysynth or pad sound under the other."

"Usually sharpness and beefiness are mutually exclusive; not many synths offer both at the same time to quite the degree that the Evolver engine does."

"Anyone looking... to elevate their music out of the bland mucilage of current mainstream pop and dance music should definitely consider this box."

"The Poly Evolver is as sharp a blade as anything Dave's designed."

Update: September 1, 2004

Caught the Cure on the last date of their Curiosa Tour, and had a chance to meet with Cure keyboardist (and Evolver owner!) Roger O'Donnell:

Update: August 9, 2004

St. Helena, CA - Synthesizer manufacturer Dave Smith Instruments is pleased to announce that Dave Bryce has joined their team as National Sales Manager. Bryce will also serve as a marketing consultant for DSI.

"Dave brings a wealth of experience and passion to DSI", says Dave Smith. "He will be instrumental in expanding the sales of our Evolver synthesizers to the MI market."

A 20-year MI industry veteran, Bryce has worked for several retailers and manufacturers including Kurzweil and Alesis. Bryce has been the VP of US Operations for ADAM Audio for the last few years, a position he still holds. He also moderates Keyboard magazine's on-line forum at www.musicplayer.com

"Dave Smith is one of the most respected synthesizer designers in our industry, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with him", says Bryce. "His Evolver line of synthesizers represent one of his finest achievements to date, and have already gained a reputation as a must-have product for any synthesizer enthusiast."

Update: June 15, 2004

A new Poly ad:

Update: May 10, 2004

The new Poly Evolver synths are shipping! To buy one now, click here.

And, the Mac OSX Evolver editor is now shipping - click here to buy one.

Update: March 18, 2004

First, the Poly is getting closer; production is starting in a couple weeks and we still hope to ship in mid-April, though quantities will be limited initially, and the waiting list is growing. In a week I'm off to Musikmesse in Frankfurt where we'll sharing booth A70 in Hall 5.1 with Bob Moog and Roger Linn.

There are a couple more Evolver reviews out; one at DanceTech, a cool site from London, and one in the March issue of Mix Magazine, written by George Peterson. Also, Brian Eno can be seen with an Evolver in (of all places) the Korg quarterly magazine. For horror movie buffs, tomorrow the new Dawn of the Dead movies opens; Wolfgang Matthes did all the electronic music in the film for composer Tyler Bates. He says "The Evolver was used almost exclusively for every motion synth sequence you will hear and I very much did enjoy it's sonic depth and overall tone. The nasty digital distortion warping qualities of Evolver did go well together with all the "freakin Zombies".

Update: January 27, 2004

Wow - great response from programmers! I should mention that due to high shipping costs and customs hassles we can't export Polys for programming at this point. Also, we may have enough programmers for now, but you can still send an email if you are interested; we might still be able to fit you in.

Update: January 23, 2004

I need sound programmers! As I finalize the Poly Evolver for its April release, I need to fill in 512 Programs and 384 Combos. Anyone interested in making some sounds on a Poly, please send me an email. Here's the deal: you will get a Poly for 7 to 10 days if you can guarantee that you will have the time to really crank out some sounds (I've had problems with this in the past). The sounds need to be fully tweaked (tuned, all mods routed, etc.), and I need everything from the clean/simple analog sounds of the past to the wild/crazy/over-the-top sounds that the Evolver voice is so good at. As a dinky company, I don't have the budgets of the big companies for a team of programmers, but I can at least offer product discounts commensurate with the quality and quantity of programs produced.

Update: January 20, 2004

Just got back from the NAMM show - looks like the Poly Evolver will be a winner! It got a great reception; everyone could immediately hear the difference from all virtual stuff out there - finally something real. It is slated to ship in April, list price $1,395.00. We'll be adding some new pages to the website in the next week or two with much more information on the Poly. Meanwhile, check Sonic State's rap and video from NAMM here, and a photo here (didnt see them take it, but it's a great shot). Another independent report here from Moose.

Stay tuned!

Update: January 5, 2004

The new years comes as I get the Poly Evolver ready for the NAMM show, which starts next week. Haven't been able to keep the website completely up to date, but have to mention the:

The January issue of Electronic Musician magazine selected Evolver as one of it's coveted Editor's Choice products for the year!

Update: December 6, 2003

First photos of the new Poly Evolver (click on thumbnails for a bigger image):

Update: December 1, 2003

FIRST: On a recent trip to London I was "filmed" running through some Evolver basics. Check it out here. I was a bit haggard after finishing the Paris-Brest-Paris race a couple days prior, so pardon the monotone. Special thanks to David Croft at the Synthesizer Service Centre (our UK representative) for putting it all together!

SECOND: Due to popular request, we are now working on a Mac version of the editor! We hope to have it available in March.

Update: October 20, 2003

FIRST: Version 2.0 is now shipping! Read the details here. All earlier versions of Evolver can be updated with a sysex MIDI file - for free!

SECOND: The new Evolver editor for the PC is now available! Check it out on the Editor page.

THIRD: Yes, the rumors are true - there is a polyphonic Evolver in the works. It will be four voices and housed in a 1U rack module. Fully programmable from the front panel via a simple interface with a 16x2 LCD, it will also be controllable from an Evolver. Stack two racks for 8 voices! Or 12, or 16... The voice is identical to Evolver, meaning the sequences are also available separately in each voice, allowing some crazy multiple synced sequences. More specs to come in the next couple months.

So far, it's sounding quite good! The metal housing is not yet designed, so no photos quite yet. I'll be showing it at the NAMM show in January, and hope to be shipping soon after. Price is not yet set, but will be in the $1,200 to $1,500 range.

Update: May 27, 2003

Dave made an appearance on the Screen Savers TV show on the TechTV channel on May 21, along with some guy named Steve Wozniak. Read about it here, and watch the video clip by clicking in the Video Highlight link on that page.

Update: March 17, 2003

Another great review - this time in Germany's Keyboards recording & computer! Just in time for the Frankfurt show. And - we're on the cover! Also check out the demo song on their site here.

Back from Frankfurt's Musikmesse; went quite well! Shared a booth with Roger Linn, and even though we registered too late to be in the program guide, and though our booth was in a corner, we had a lot of visitors. Evolver will soon be available in more stores across Europe. Our 40% export rate is going much higher following the show!

We have a new Sound Diver adaptation available on our downloads page. Generously provided by Karl H. Tovrmark, it fixes up an edit buffer problem, adds envelope displays, and best of all includes a basic waveshape editor! The new editor allows you to display all 128 waveshapes, and edit them graphically. You can then store the edited versions in the user waveshape area (shapes 97-128). Check it out!

Update: February 21, 2003

Evolver is reviewed in the February issue of Sound on Sound, and the March issue of Keyboard - where it was awarded the Key Buy award, given only to products that place at the top of their class, break new ground, or offer truly outstanding value! Check it out here

From SOS: "What really counts is the Evolver's sound and sound-mangling potential, and there is an almost indecent range of options to handle both."

"The many different ways to transform a harmless signal into a heart-rending wail of terror make this one mean mother of an audio processor."

"I was able to create a range of typical monosynth solos, including some very Minimoogish leads."

"If complexity and near-modular connectivity appeals to you, the Evolver is a synth you shouldn't dismiss lightly."

"The sequencer is surprisingly flexible given its unimposing physical presence."

"When listening to some of the factory presets playing four-part harmonies and the like, I did occasional double-takes and needed to remind myself this was 'only' a monophonic instrument."

From Keyboard: "There's a tame side capable of some startingly beautiful sounds, and a mad side that just wants to maim and torture any audio that comes within arm's length."

"There's a certain sense of unpredictability that's also easy to get your head around. It's not chaos for chaos's sake; it's a sound designer's dream."

"At $499 the Evolver presents an overwhelming argument for itself."

Coming up - the Music Messe tradeshow in Frankfurt, March 5-9. We will be sharing a booth with Roger Linn in Hall 5.1, booth number D99 (in the corner). Please come visit us!

Dave gave a talk to the San Francisco chapter of the AES on January 28, discussing the design of Evolver and giving a demonstration. A brief summary of the talk was posted in the independent Evolver forums (check the Links page) by an attendee.

Next up: Dave will be giving the keynote at the 2003 National Conference of TI:ME, the Technology Institute for Music Educators on March 12 in Pasadena. The Conference is run concurrently with the California Music Educators Association (CMEA) state conference.

Other than that, Evolver sales are moving along quite nicely; we continue to export close to 40%. Evolving countries include: UK, Germany, France, Canada, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, Estonia, Russia, Switzerland, Finland, Ireland, Scotland, Norway, Luxembourg, Denmark, Thailand, and South Africa!

Update: January 21, 2003

Just returned from NAMM - went quite well, I must say. Saw some old friends:

Also a lot of Sequential gear owners, and a some (very happy) Evolver owners. Many knob-tweakers stopped by our dinky booth:

Also did a few interviews, including one for Sonic State with video (Check it out here):

Overall, we had a great time showing off Evolver!

The January issue of Keyboard has a great article covering the 20th anniversary of MIDI, including an old picture of Dave at the NAMM show in 1983 when two MIDI instruments were connected together for the very first time (Prophet 600 with Roland JX-3P).

SOS has posted the Evolver review on their website though for now you need their web subscription to access it. It will be in print soon. Also one from Keyboard coming soon - looked very good from the first peek. More coming from EM, EQ, and a number of Euro mags in France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, etc.

Finally, Evolver is becoming more available in music stores around the world as we step up our retail availability.

Update: January 10, 2003

Happy New Year! We're off to a great start shipping Evolvers all around the world. In fact, for some reason so far in 2003 over 80% of our sales are exports! In the first week we shipped to Germany, UK, Japan, Canada, Thailand, Norway, Belgium, Austria, and Italy. USA - you're lagging!

We're getting ready for the NAMM show next week, January 16 - 19 in Anaheim. We have a dinky booth in Hall A, #6954 - please visit us and have a glass of Napa Valley wine (sorry; general public is not allowed into the show).

There's a new Evolver forum set up by Tim Ande - check the Links page.

Check out some cool sounds from Saul Stokes - I especially like the last one; a very acoustic sound.

Update: December 5, 2002

We now have Evolvers in stock - no more waiting lists. If you previously placed an order, you should have received an email by now with purchase instructions. If not, just click here!

Evolver is on the cover of the December Issue of Electronic Musician magazine! It's their "Annual Holdiay Gift Guide" issue, and features "products that offered the most versatility and bang for the buck." Check it out!

Update: November 19, 2002

The new Evolvers are coming soon! With luck we will be shipping early next week. We'll be contacting those who have placed orders according to when the order was placed, but should be able to catch up with all orders by the end of the month.

Meanwhile we're still putting the final touches on the new website, so bear with us if there are some glitches; everything should be tight in the next couple days.

Finally, Evolver is on the cover of the December Issue of Electronic Musician magazine! It's their "Annual Holdiay Gift Guide" issue, and features "products that offered the most versatility and bang for the buck." Check it out!

Tuesday, October 29, 2002

We're shipping Evolvers!

The first units are rolling out the door. They're looking and sounding great! We're contacting customers based on the date of their orders. If you ordered in August or September, you will get an email with details on finalizing your order. If you do not hear from us, and you placed an order in those months, drop us an email, and we'll verify your order. Be sure to let us know if your email has changed! We've had a couple bounce already.

The next production run is due out by the end of November, and there should be enough to catch up on all pending orders.

Also, MOTU has released Unisyn 2.0 which comes with an Evolver profile. Check www.MOTU.com. And, Matthew Davidson has put together a freeware Mac editor here - what a guy!

Finally off and running!

Update: September, 2002

A quick update; I know it's been a while, but needless to say I've been quite busy with, well, everything. At this point the Evolver is pretty much feature complete. There's still a list of possible features on the "wish-list", but you have to know when to stop. Evolver has a great set of features, and no product ever does everything. The trick in a successful instrument design is ensuring that there is a personality in the sound and operation; otherwise you may as well just design another sampler or analog modeling synth.

The specifications page has been updated, with a new manual in .pdf format, that is slowly starting to look like a real manual. I've added a digital 4-pole Highpass filter that can be modulated by all the mod sources. The Highpass can be placed either before the analog filter, for use on external signal inputs, or after the analog for processing the whole sound. The distortion is also finally done; it's sounding great! It also can be placed before or after the analog electronics; gives a lot more filtering options that way, and filters are key to distortion sounds. I'll get some example sound clips soon.

Production is getting under way with purchasing of parts and preparing for the start of assembly at the end of the month. I still hope to ship the first units in October; hardware design is done, and it's mostly a matter of getting all the parts in, testing, and tweaking the software.

Update: July 20, 2002

Okay - we're at the Beta stage. The new boards are working with no kludges so far - a very good sign. Note also that I have posted an initial operation manual (with MIDI specification) on the specifications page.

Now that I have a number of Evolvers around, I just couldn't resist connecting five of them together and playing them from my T-8. Evolver has a polyphonic chain feature that allows daisy-chaining MIDI for polyphonic use. Of course (heh heh) you have to buy a number of Evolvers to do it.

Update: June 17, 2002

Okay, a bit overdue for an update, so here we are. Been busy finishing hardware design for a small run of beta units. The design is done, and they are being built now - should have them back in a couple weeks! So far I'm still on track to start production in September, so if all goes well, the first units will ship in late September. I hope to be set up to start taking orders in August - just getting the list started, no deposits will be required.

Front Panel

I put together a Sound Diver adaptation for the synth, initially just to keep track of presets and to test MIDI operation. But, it will also serve to help describe the instrument, so you can click here to see the detailed "front panel". Or, better yet, click here to download the Adaptation if you have Sound Diver installed on your computer. The adaptation will be included for free with Evolver, allowing complete programming from your computer (Mac or PC). NOTE!!! The panel is highly subject to change! While most of the parameters are already implemented and functional, some may change or be deleted. I hope to post a more detailed operation specification/manual in August - this is just a teaser.